408 



GREENISH FILE-FISH. ' 



Balistes Virescens. B. virescens, nigro-punctatusi. 



Greenish File-Fish^ speckled with black. 



Le Baliste verdatre» Cepede. ^ . 



A LARGE species: habit similar to that of the 

 preceding species : colour greenish, with a tinge 

 of brown and yellow on different parts : skin mark- 

 ed into large squares, each of which has a dusky 

 spot in the centre : sides of the head deep gold- 

 colour; the top of a blackish blue, with small 

 yellow specks : lower part of the head, and breast, 

 of a pale blue : from the eyes to the base of the 

 pectoral fins an indistinct blackish band : fins and 

 tail whitish, edged with black : pectoral fins tipped 

 with yellow : tail rounded : extremities of the body 

 beset with four longitudinal rows of small reversed 

 prickles or spines : from the ventral processes to the 

 vent a double row of short spines : teeth strong : 

 first dorsal fin, or that situated above and beyond 

 the head consisting of three or four rays united by 

 a membrane ; the first ray very strong and rough. 

 Native of the Indian seas : observed by Sonnerat. 



